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Industries
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Deliverables
in 2023 WeTech pitch competition
Usability Validated
Real-user testing confirmed that critical features like SOS and Fake Call are accessible in under 3 seconds.
Validated with real users to ensure the Emergency Contact flow remains intuitive during high-anxiety moments.
87.5% of surveyed women had never heard of safety apps
In Lagos, a woman's daily calculus goes like this: Avoid entire neighborhoods. Skip evening events. Share your location obsessively. Not because she wants to, but because she has to.
The real cost isn't just fear but also freedom.
Existing safety apps felt like panic buttons disguised as products—screaming "emergency" every time you opened them. Women didn't need another alarm. They needed something woven into their daily lives, quietly watching their back while they lived forward.
When we asked how they currently handle safety concerns:
31% call friends or family (not police—friends)
31% share live location manually
12.5% simply don't know what to do
0% call the police
↳ "I don't know what to do"
↳ "I call a friend or family"
↳ "I try to stay as alert and vigilant as possible"
Key insight: Women weren't just looking for emergency response. They were already building informal safety networks. Our job was to make those networks faster and more reliable.
This shifted us from designing a "panic app" to designing a "companion app" that amplifies what women already do.
We surveyed (Link here) 16 women across Nigeria, from Lagos to Kano to Enugu and the data revealed a massive gap in the market.
The numbers painted a clear picture:
87.5% had never heard of safety apps—the market was wide open
56% felt most unsafe at night
37.5% felt vulnerable on public transportation
31% felt unsafe traveling solo
After researching on our competitors, we started with 20+ feature ideas. Gbemi and I spent hours debating what was essential versus what was comforting using the MOSCoW(Must have-Should have-COuld have- Won't have) technique.
Our framework: Every feature had to answer:
Does this reduce friction or add it?
Can she use this without drawing attention?
Does this work when she's already stressed?
Wireframes: Sticks and Figures
Before we touched color or typography, we tested layouts on paper and in low-fi digital wireframes.
What I validated:
→ SOS button placement (bottom center = fastest thumb reach)
→ Information hierarchy (location first, features second)
→ Navigation flow (3 taps max to any feature)
We tested 3 visual directions. The "security tech" aesthetic (dark blues, bold alerts) made testers feel more anxious.
Our design system:
Soft purples and warm neutrals → calm, not clinical
Rounded corners everywhere → approachable, not aggressive
Large tap targets → works when hands are shaking
Minimal text on critical screens → clarity under pressure
SOS with Smart Context
One tap alerts her Femsquad (5 trusted contacts) with live location.
Trade-off: We removed manual message editing to prioritize speed.
→ Impact: 3 seconds vs 15+ seconds in competitor apps
Fake Call: The Social Escape Route
Women were already doing this—holding phones to their ears, pretending someone called.
What we built: Schedule a fake call before walking into uncomfortable situations. When it rings, she picks up and has a believable reason to leave.
Why it worked: Not every threat is physical. Sometimes it's a pushy date, a suspicious stranger, or a situation that just feels wrong.
→ 60% said they'd use this weekly, not just in emergencies
Femsquad Over Authorities
Our data confirmed it: 0% of women call police when they feel unsafe. They call friends.
A Femsquad is a group of 5 people who will be immediately notified when a user is in danger. To create a Femsquad, users will provide the name of their emergency contact, a phone number and a profile picture (optional)
When the user taps on the SOS button, their Femsquad members are immediately sent an alert with their live location and emergency codes they can dial for help.
Design decision: Made personal networks the default, authorities the backup.
Report Incidents: Making Documentation Effortless
Women told us most incidents go unreported because the process is exhausting.
What we changed: Quick form, photo/video upload, automatic authority notification.
The bigger goal: Lower the barrier so witnessing injustice doesn't require hours of bureaucracy.
→ Hypothesis: If reporting takes 2 minutes instead of 20, more incidents get documented
Safety Zones: Knowing Help is Close
The homepage shows her location and nearest emergency centers—hospitals, police stations.
Why the map view: Awareness reduces anxiety. She's never more than a few taps from contacting them directly.
Design choice: Subtle markers, not alarm-red. Information, not intimidation.
Community, Not Just Crisis
Safety tips, shared experiences, encouragement from other women.
Why: Safety isn't just about surviving danger. It's about building confidence.
Onboarding: Building Her Safety Net First
Before she can use SOS, she sets up her Femsquad.
Homepage: Awareness Without Anxiety
Her location, nearby safety zones, quick SOS access.
Trade-off with Gbemi: She wanted live feeds of incidents on the homepage, but I pushed back because constant danger reminders defeat the purpose.
→ We compromised: Incident map as optional tab, not homepage.
The SOS Flow: When Every Second Counts
Tap → Confirm → Alert sent with live location in under 3 seconds.
No forms. No typing. Just help.
If I had another 8 weeks:
Offline mode → Lagos connectivity is unpredictable
Impact potential: 40% more reliable in low-network areasLive location sharing → Let Femsquad track her in real-time during high-risk moments
Trade-off: Privacy concerns vs utilityAccessibility improvements → Screen reader optimization, high-contrast mode
Currently serving: 18-40 year olds. Missing: Women with disabilities
✓ 2nd Place Overall in 2023 pitch competition
✓ Validated hypothesis: Women want empowerment tools, not just emergency buttons
✓ Market opportunity confirmed: 87.5% of surveyed women had never heard of safety apps
✓ Strategic shift in safety app thinking: From reactive panic to proactive confidence
